Improvement in eyes for lacing eojtees and other articles



y, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Louis c. HOFFMEISTER, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

lMPROVEMENTIN EYES FOR LACING E0)TEES AND OTHER ARTICLES;-

Specitc'ation forming partof Letters' Patent No. 4 l,069, dated January 5, 1864.

and I do hereby declare the following toI be a' full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of` reference marked thereon,

-My invention consists of a-strip or" metal formed, bent, and otherwise constructed for attachment to,.b0ots, &c., substantially as described hereinafter, so as toform a cheap, substantial, and efticientwye for receiving the laces by which boots and other articlesvot wearing-apparel are secured.

In order to enable others to make and apply my invention, 1 will now proceed to describe the manner -of constructing the same.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ot' this specification, Figure 1 represent-s' a front view of part ofa boot or other article ot' clothing with my improved eyes for laces 5 Fig. 2, a pla-n view of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a plan view illustrating the ordinary mode of lacing boots, Src. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 a e viewsx drawn toan enlarged scale, and illustrating the Inode of manufacturing my `improvedeyes for laces.

,i In order that my invention maybe readilyV "understood, I.wil1 proceed to describe the 'manner ofconstructing the eyes.

I first take a thin plate ot' metal, and, by

means o-suitahle punches and dies, cutfrom the plate pieces of the form represented by Fig.

4.-.namely, a piece consisting of two lat rings,

a and b, connected together byastrip, cl. I then, by suitable dies, form -on thelring a a projecting annular flange, e,- thcreby reducing it to the form of an ordinary eyelet,"as seen in Fig. 5. Another operation isto reduce the intermediate strip, d, to the form'representcd in Fig. 6, which is a transverse section on thethrough the ring b, and the wholato assume ghe form represented in Fig. 7, after which r the device is ready for attachment tp the boot or other article of apparel, in tha following manner: A hole of proper diameter'I is in the first instance'formed in the fabric B, Fig. 8, and the eyelet portion cof the device passed through this hole, after' which an ordinary eyelet, D, lis inserted into the interior of e,

when the whole is removed to a'proper eyeletmacliine andcompressed to the shape seen in Fig. 9, the riilg b being brought into contact with the upper surface of the fabric, the flange a bearing against the ring b, the lower edge of the eyelet e being turned up against the under surfaccof the fabric, and the. eyelet'D compressed and confined as itis .within the eyelet c, serving to secure to the -fabric the device which, as. seen in Fig. 9, constitutes my improved eye'for laces, the relative'position of a numberof these eyes,when attachedI to boots, corsets, & c., being shown with a'lace in Fig. I.

One of the advantages of my invention can -be best described by referring to Figs. 2 and A3, the former representing a plan view of my improved eyes for laces, and the latter a plan view of the ordinary mode of lacing boots', Src.

In my improvement the situation of the eyes is such that the lace E is never in .contact with the stocking F, whereas in Fig. 3

the lace, having to pass through ordinary eyelets, must necessarily bear against the stocking with such force as to cause africtiomwhich is well known 4to render the act of unlacing the hoot a matter requiring tedious manipulation. l 4

lhe freedom with which the lace will-pass through my improved eyes will be understood when it is remembered that it has to bear against the rounded surface formed on the strip d, Figs. et and 6, vthis rounded'and smooth surface preventing al1 possibilityT of the lace being cut.` v

Although l prefer the' use ofthe eyelet l) in the manner described, it will be evident that it may be dispensed with, and that. the fastening maydepend on the eyelets` alone.

Y The front of a boot furnished with my.improved eyes may be ornamented by inserting into the'ey'elet-holes gilt-headed pins m m, Fig. 1., or glass beads of different colors.

Another advantage of my invention is that the eyes may be secured to boots and other articles of wearing-apparel which have been apparel, substantially' as and for the purpose previously furnished with 'ordinary eyelets. described.

The strength and cheapness of my improved In testimony whereof I. have signed my n'nhme eyes and their secure attachmentto the fabric to this specification in the presence of two sbwill be readily understood withoutexplanation. scribin g witnesses.

I claim as my Vinvention and desire to secure LOUIS C HOFFMEISTER vby Leters Patent- The within-described eye forlaees, consist- Witnesses: ing of a strip of metal formed, bent, and con- HENRY HOWSON, struoted for attachment to articles of Wrearing-` JOHN WHITE. 

